The Khamenei family (Persian: خاندان خامنه‌ای) is among the Iranian Azeri Sayyid families who claim to be descendants of the fourth Imam of Islam, Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (Persian/Arabic: علی بن حسین، زین العابدین) (known as Imam Sajjad)—according to the "Khamenei family tree". Their dwelling place(s) were/are in Azerbaijan (Iran), Najaf, and Tafresh, etc. Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader of Iran, was the most powerful member of the Khamenei political family until his assassination on 28 February 2026. His descent, known as "Sadat-e Hosseini", is likewise connected to the third Imam, Husayn ibn Ali. Seyyed Ali Khamenei's father was Seyyed Javad Khamenei, and his paternal grandfather was Seyyed Hussein, who was buried in Najaf, Iraq (in the Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery). Seyyed Hussein's father was Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Tafresshi, who was considered a Sayyid of Aftasi, whose family tree was connected to Sultan-al-Ulama Ahmad (also known as Seyyed Ahmad). Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Tafreshi Khamenei Tabrizi (Persian: سید محمد حسینی تفرشی خامنه‌ای تبریزی) was the son of Seyyed Mohamad Taghi, who was the son of Mirza Ali-Akbar, who was the son of Seyyed Fakhr-al-Din Tafreshi. The descendants of Seyyed Fakhr-al-Din (also known as Mir-Fakhra) are called Mir-Fakhrayi. === Family tree === == Name == Khamenei is thought obviously to be toponymic: of Khamaneh with the Persian grammar suffix -i indicating from that place. == See also == === Islamic articles === Sayyid Family tree of Ali Ali Khamenei Javad Khamenei Mohammad Khiabani === Related === Politics of Iran == References ==